Certain networks exist for the sole or partial purpose of providing video surveillance. In such networks, one or more cameras may be geographically separated on the surveillance network, and may in fact be mobile. Further, these cameras may be connected to the surveillance network via a low-bandwidth communications link. An operator's console(s) that controls the cameras and other functionality may also be connected to the surveillance network via a low-bandwidth communications link or links, which may be wired (including fiber optic) or wireless (including industry standards such as 802.11 and 802.16), or a combination of both, and may be geographically remote or mobile.
Certain problems arise when utilizing or configuring such networks including difficulties encountered when attempting to pass visual data over these low-bandwidth communications links or pathways. Therefore, what is needed is a system, method, and computer readable medium for providing bandwidth management and control that overcomes the problems and limitations described above. Such bandwidth management and control can be utilized with a plurality of devices including video cameras (such as Internet Protocol (IP) video cameras), video encoders (such as IP video encoders), digital video recorders (such as IP digital video recorders), and camera devices (such as camera phones).